DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HANDBOOK COMPOSITE MATERIALS HANDBOOK

Abstract

This standardization handbook has been developed and is maintained as a joint effort of the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration, with considerable participation and input from

industry, academia and other government agencies. It is oriented toward the standardization of 1) methods used to develop, analyze and publish mechanical property data for composite materials, 2) procedures to allow design organizations to effectively use the property data published in Volume 2 of this

Handbook and other similar databases, and 3) general procedures for designing, analyzing and testing

composite structures. In many cases, the standardization is intended to address the needs and requirements of the customer and regulatory agencies, while providing efficient engineering practices.

The standardization of a statistically-based mechanical property data base, procedures used, and overall guidelines for the characterization and use of composite material systems is recognized as being beneficial to both manufacturers and government agencies. A complete characterization of the capabilities of any engineering material system depends on the inherent material physical and chemical composition, which are independent of specific applications. Therefore, at the material system characterization level, the data and guidelines contained in this handbook apply to military and commercial products and provide the technical basis for establishing statistically valid design values acceptable to certifying or procuring agencies.